Merchants with Evil Intent (46 page)

      
Walking towards the couch he scowled.
“It’s so damn boring. I need more action!”

      
She purred into his ear, “Action huh?”

      
Joe turned his head and grinned. “What do
you have in mind, darlin’?”

      
Her eyes smoldered as she brought her
lips to his.

      
With her lips pressed against his he
murmured, “I like this action.”

*
     
*
     
*

      
Camryn found John in the kitchen with
Siobhan. They were giggling like teenagers and wrapped around each other. They
quickly pulled apart when she cleared her throat.

      
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I
need to talk to you, Dad.”

      
Ian was sitting in the den when Camryn
and John walked by. He heard her tell John she needed to go home. He closed his
eyes.

      
Her leaving would devastate Declan.

*
     
*
     
*

      
Eoghan stroked the hair on his chin as he
listened to the lass explain her reasoning to her Da. She was a sound thinker;
much like Failend and her decision wasna made lightly.

      
He shuddered when he thought about
Declan’s reaction to her leaving. Mayhap he should go away for a while, until
Declan’s humors improved.

*
     
*
     
*

      
Declan came through the back door, his
hair wringing with sweat. Ma and Ian dummied up immediately, causing his
eyebrows to lift.

      
“What?” he asked snippily.

      
Siobhan waved him off, “Och, nothing,
lad, nothin’ at all.”

      
“I know bullox when I hear it,” he
grinned, pulling his ma to him.

      
Her nose wrinkled. “Decky, ya smell like
sheep! Get on with you now.”

      
“Not until you tell me what’s goin’ on.”

      
She stammered, “Well, John and I are
goin’ to town for dinner so you and Camryn will be on your own tonight.”

      
He tilted his head towards Ian, “What
aboot him?”

      
Ian cleared his throat. “I’m meetin’
Aisling at the Wild Knight. I’ve enough of waitin’ for the plonker to show up
again. I doona expect him to come back and neither does the Garda.”

      
John and Camryn entered the room, ceasing
conversation between the
trio
.

      
Declan glanced at John’s stony
expression. His gaze then fell upon Camryn. Her eyes were swollen and red.

      
When she spoke, her voice trembled.

      
His throat felt like he had inhaled sand
on his run.

      
“Declan, I need to speak with you,” she
murmured, not meeting his eyes.

      
He nodded curtly and brushed past her.
“After me shower, aye?”

*
     
*
     
*

      
He raced up the stairs to his room. Her
leaving him was what he deserved. After all, didna he do the same to Teaghan?

      
He showered methodically, steeling
himself for the impending conversation.

      
He knew it was coming and tried to
prepare himself for it, but how does one prepare to have their heart broken?

*
     
*
     
*

      
“We don’t have to go, Cam,” John offered.

      
She grinned and fixed his tie. “Yes, you
do. I don’t need you guys hanging around for this. I’ll be okay.”

      
She smoothed Siobhan’s collar on her coat
and hugged her briefly. “Go see a movie or something. It’s a date, right?”

      
Siobhan blushed, “Aye, love. I’ve grown
quite fond of your Da.”

      
Camryn laughed, “Well, he feels the same
about you, now go! Declan’s coming!”

      
When she turned Declan stood in the
kitchen doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.

      
Her heart skipped a beat. His wet black
hair was pulled back into a small ponytail. He wore faded jeans and a navy
colored short sleeved t-shirt and no socks.

      
“When ya leavin’ then?” he asked sharply.

      
She tucked a strand of hair behind her
ear as he brushed past her, “The day after tomorrow.”

      
With his back to her he braced himself
against the kitchen island, his muscles bunched beneath the thin fabric of his
shirt. When he was sure his voice wouldn’t betray him he spoke. “Will Mickey be
takin’ you to the airport then?”

      
She came up behind him and wrapped her
arms around his waist. “I’d rather you took me.”

      
He swallowed the lump in his throat.
“Gel, I doona think I can do that.”

      
He fought the tears stinging the back of
his eyes. He wouldna do that in front of her.

      
“Declan? Please look at me when I tell
you this.”

      
“I don’t need to be lookin’ at you when
you tell me
it’s
over,” he snapped.

      
“
It’s
no’ over,”
she replied light heartedly. “The truth is
,
I can’t
imagine my life without you, either.”

      
He hardly knew what to say and turned
slowly. Tears pooled in her eyes, but her lips held a smile.

      
“I’m going home to tell my family I’ve
decided to live here.”

      
“In truth?”

      
She nodded. “For the past week it’s all I
thought about.” She shrugged, “I felt something for you the minute we met. How
could I ignore something so strong?”

      
He pulled her into an embrace, crushing
his lips against hers. “
Your
Da? He’s okay with this?”

      
“Yeah.
In fact,
if things go well with your mom tonight, I’ve a feeling he’ll be coming back
with me,” she murmured. “I’m worried about the rest of my family though. I’m
not sure how they’re going to take it.”

      
He knew it was a huge sacrifice she’d be
making for him. Christ, he hadn’t proposed to her yet. He bought the ring the
day Nellie was killed.

      
He wrapped his arm around her and smoothed
her hair with his hand. He’d make another special dinner and propose to her. He
didna have time to get flowers.

      
“Gel, I have some dinner preparations to
make, would you like to help?”

      
“I have some things to do first, then
I’ll come and help you, okay?” she pulled away with a tilted smile.

*
     
*
     
*

      
After Camryn donned her running apparel,
she snuck outside through the patio doors near the den. She knew if she told
Declan she wanted to run, he’d either had gone with her or told her no.

      
A soft, cool breeze caressed her face
while she stretched. Periodically she looked over her shoulder at the house to
make sure she hadn’t been spotted by Declan.

      
She adjusted the ear buds in her ears,
turned on the I-Pod and jogged slowly at first. She loved the workout she
received running on sand, something she’d happily get used to.

      
She didn’t know how to approach her
family with her decision, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy. Ryan would be
crushed. He called her earlier in the week and the minute she mentioned Declan
he started in on how long distance relationships never work. He even mentioned
her hooking up with Dylan again.

      
Claire would be okay. She was resilient.

      
Mom and dad were another matter entirely.

      
She ran faster and worried her bottom lip
thinking about them.

      
They’d be devastated.

      
A flock of gannets perched on the strand
ahead causing Camryn to turn around and run back. They gave her the creeps.

      
When she turned, she spotted movement in
the cottage on the hill near Teaghan’s. She slowed her pace and kept her eyes
trained on the doors by the deck.

      
She shrugged and picked up her pace.

      
Then, she saw something from the corner
of her eye.

      
It was a man dressed in chain mail, like
the knights she’d read about in books. His black hair hung to his shoulders and
he looked dashing in his attire. She wondered if he was a participant in
re-enactments. She waved and smiled when he waved back.

      
She continued her run and glanced over
her shoulder and frowned slightly when she didn’t see him.

      
It was as if he simply vanished.

*
     
*
     
*

      
Declan was busy cutting vegetables for
lamb stew when Eoghan appeared in the center of the kitchen tugging on his chin
hair, pacing.

      
He whispered, “Off with ya, ya silly
ghostie. Camryn will be down any minute!”

      
“Passing odd,” Eoghan muttered,
continuing to pace.

      
Declan’s eyebrows furrowed, “What’s odd?”

      
“Your gel waved to me.”

      
“Christ! What were ya doin’ in her bloody
room?” Declan growled and put down the paring knife.

      
Eoghan looked at him disgustedly. “I
twasn’t in her room, you lackwit and neither is she! She’s running on the
strand.”

      
Declan glared at him momentarily then his
eyes went wide with fear.

      
“Didna you say only people near death can
see you?”

      
Eoghan stopped pacing. “Aye, I did say
that.” He paused for a moment and gasped, “Christ’s bones!”

      
Declan ran out the back door, his eyes
searched the strand. Once he saw her he broke out into fast run. Suddenly, he
heard Maggie’s voice next to him.

      
“He’s here! The bad man is here! Help
her!” she screamed.

      
Declan was closing the gap and waved his
hands at her. She finally looked up and pulled out her ear buds.

      
“Drop and roll!” he yelled.

      
Her eyebrows furrowed.
Drop and roll? I’m not on fire
, she
thought, shaking her head.

      
He kept yelling for her to drop and roll
and when he came within five feet of her, she heard the gunshot.

      
He crumpled before her, his blood pooled
onto the sand beneath him.

*
     
*
     
*

      
John exited the restroom of the Wild
Knight when he saw her.

      
She was wringing her hands and tears
spilled from her eyes.

      
“Maggie?” he said incredulously. He
hadn’t had that many pints!

      
“John, you need to hurry! Our girl is in
trouble!” she pleaded.

      
John didn’t look back as he grabbed Ian
and pulled him towards the door.

*
     
*
     
*

      
A scream caught in her throat.
Oh God, oh God
,
she prayed as she
knelt and rolled Declan onto his back.

      
His eyelids fluttered briefly and he
strained a small smile.

      
Camryn saw the shooter walking towards
them. Scrambling, she put her hands under Declan’s arms and pulled him towards the
safety of the tall grass at the edge of the sand. They were nearly there when a
shot rang out.

      
A fierce burning stung her upper left
arm.

      
“Come out, come out, wherever you are,
Camryn,” he taunted.